Funghi

Whole

Whole truffle is the intact fruiting body as sold by weight—the form hunters, orchardists and importers trade, and the form chefs want when aroma and texture still live inside an unbroken skin. Keeping the specimen whole until service slows aroma loss and drying; you brush, weigh, and only then shave or cook. A good whole truffle is firm, heavy for its size, free of soft spots and cracks, and smells cleanly of its species—not ammonia, bleach, or wet cardboard. Store cold, ideally nested in dry rice or paper that is changed often, and use within a few days of peak perfume. Whole fruit is also what you freeze or jar if you must preserve; once shaved, quality drops faster. Buy from trusted seasons and noses, not from colour alone.